Chapter 1323: Reversing Entropy, Returning to Youth
“Oh? I’m listening,” Li Fan said, his expression turning serious.
“Fellow Daoist, can you discern the wondrous use of this ‘Ancient’ character?” Zhong Daogong asked, keeping him in suspense.
Li Fan pondered for a moment, his finger tracing the character in the air. “Ancient means the past, the old.”
“...Time reversal?”
Gazing at the mysterious character on the ruined ground, Li Fan savored the concept, his eyes lighting up.
Zhong Daogong clapped his hands in praise. “Your comprehension is truly extraordinary, Fellow Daoist! Even the quickest among our Immortal Boat’s elders required several days to grasp its meaning. I never imagined you would see through it at a single glance!”
“However, ‘time reversal’ might not be the most precise description of its power. It’s more like... an object’s intrinsic reversion to its own past...”
Li Fan listened to the explanation, nodding slightly.
“It sounds rather similar to Ou Shangtian’s Qiankun Bone Hand,” he mused to himself.
The images showed the ‘Ancient’ character appearing, and immediately, cultivators, towering trees, sprawling cities, and even the world itself began to devolve as if time were flowing backward. They all eventually disintegrated into imperceptible particles, scattered by the wind.
“If this original script still possessed such power, then no matter how much we coveted it, the Immortal Boat would have no choice but to give it a wide berth. But now...”
The people of the Immortal Boat then demonstrated the wondrous application of this True Immortal Script through their actions.
The eldest among the elders, Jian Daosheng of the Broken Immortal Tower, slowly flew toward the ‘Ancient’ character.
He didn’t get too close, instead hovering in the air.
Zhong Daogong had said the character’s power was depleted, but that was relative. In truth, a faint trace of its might still lingered on the original script. Compared to the ‘Ancient’ character at its peak, it was almost negligible. However, much like the other script characters, what is harmful when strong can be beneficial when weak. When the reversing power of the ‘Ancient’ character was reduced to a suitable level...
The wrinkles on Jian Daosheng’s face slowly faded. Strands of black began to appear amidst his white hair and brows. His posture straightened, and even his spirit seemed more vigorous.
This was nothing less than a return to youth, a complete rejuvenation!
The elders of the Immortal Boat were clearly accustomed to this sight, but Li Fan’s eyes narrowed in thought.
He didn’t wait to fully revert to his prime. After staying within the ‘Ancient’ character’s range for only a few breaths, Jian Daosheng gracefully retreated.
Li Fan understood this was to prevent the character’s influence from affecting him too deeply.
After Jian Daosheng, the other Immortal Boat elders took turns approaching the script. They stayed for varying lengths of time, but all of them emerged looking significantly younger.
“With this character, couldn’t one achieve eternal youth and immortality?” Li Fan exclaimed in amazement.
Zhong Daogong gave a wry smile. “It’s not that simple. It can grant youth, but as for immortality...”
He shook his head. “Rejuvenating with the ‘Ancient’ character can indeed increase one’s maximum lifespan slightly. But the more you use it, the weaker the effect becomes. Once you reach your ultimate limit, your lifespan will no longer extend.”
“Still, a youthful body is far better than one nearing its end.”
When the Immortal Boat elders had all taken their turn, Zhong Daogong looked at Li Fan and asked, “Would you care to experience it as well, Fellow Daoist?”
Li Fan politely declined. “I’m not yet thirty, still in the prime of my life. Reverting to childhood would do more harm than good.”
As soon as he spoke, a dead silence fell over the sacred tree’s space.
All the elders stared fixedly at Li Fan, their eyes filled with the same look one might give a monster.
The expression on Zhong Daogong’s face grew stiff. “Surely you jest, Fellow Daoist?”
Based on Li Fan’s power and his profound knowledge of formations and scripts, the people of the Immortal Boat had tacitly assumed he was a cultivator who had lived for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.
And now he was claiming to be not yet thirty?
How were they supposed to accept that?
Li Fan chuckled. “I just happen to learn things a bit quickly. In our Great Qi, there are geniuses even more gifted than I, though they are few. There’s no need for such surprise.”
His words threw the minds of the Immortal Boat members into turmoil.
They worked together to reseal the ‘Ancient’ character before leading Li Fan out of the sacred tree’s interior.
“Please rest here for a while, Fellow Daoist, and don’t leave just yet. We have some matters to discuss...”
Zhong Daogong advised him thus in a courtyard pavilion that seemed perched on a mountaintop at the apex of the Immortal Boat’s space.
“Right, these are the three items you selected earlier.” After handing over a scroll of white paper, Zhong Daogong departed in a hurry.
Ignoring the Immortal Boat members, Li Fan slowly unfurled the white paper in his hand. Three treasures leaped from the scroll, materializing before him.
He had already examined the bronze immortal crane and the seven-colored stream of light.
With a wave of his hand, Li Fan stored them away.
His attention then focused on the figurine with downcast eyes.
Sensing a faint tremor from [Truth], Li Fan’s mind focused intently.
Just like the previous two items, the figurine vanished into thin air an instant later.
This time, however, it wasn’t stored away but had transformed into an unknown energy and been absorbed by [Truth].
Li Fan stared intently at the [Truth] panel.
As if fine currents of electricity were flashing across it, the characters on the [Truth] panel flickered several times.
Finally, they settled.
Li Fan’s gaze fell on the entry that had changed.
“Void Charge Progress: 400%.”
“Hmm?” Li Fan’s eyes narrowed.
The Void Charge Progress was the prerequisite for activating [Truth] to reverse everything. Only when the charge reached 100% could he turn reality into illusion, truth into lies.
This was why, after every reset, Li Fan always remained hidden in the Great Xuan’s small world, waiting for the charge to complete before venturing out.
Previously, the maximum Void Charge Progress was 200%.
The charge above 100% could shield him from external attacks at critical moments, ensuring the smooth activation of [Truth].
But as the enemies Li Fan provoked grew stronger, this protective function had become somewhat useless.
The charge depleted too quickly, making it barely better than nothing.
But now, this figurine had doubled the charge limit.
Furthermore, Li Fan sensed that this extra 200% charge, if not consumed in this life, would not disappear with the reset of [Truth].
It would remain within [Truth].
In other words, he could now perform three consecutive resets.
“Interesting.”
Li Fan pictured the figurine in his mind. “The origin of this figurine is quite strange. To be able to add 200% to the charge limit, it must be an extraordinary object.”
“I wonder if I encounter it again in the next life and absorb it, will the charge limit increase further?”
Thus far, Li Fan had not figured out the specific charging mechanism of [Truth].
The unknown medium required to activate [Truth] could only be accumulated slowly through the passage of time.
“Perhaps a thorough study of this figurine could unravel the mystery.” Li Fan narrowed his eyes, making a mental note of this goal.
A 400% charge limit was like an extra layer of protection for Li Fan. More importantly, when facing the Faceless Immortal or even higher-level beings, he could use successive resets to escape their threat as much as possible.
Otherwise, with only a single reset, if he still faced a lethal crisis after returning to his anchor point, his situation would become extremely dangerous.
From this perspective, the figurine’s practical value for survival was immense.
“The Immortal Boat is truly my lucky star.”
“Later, I can ask them about the figurine’s origin,” Li Fan thought.
Before long, Zhong Daogong returned with the other elders to stand before Li Fan.
It seemed they had reached some consensus in their discussion, as the faint hostility and killing intent Li Fan had sensed from a few of them had completely vanished.
“Fellow Daoist, are you satisfied with this transaction?” Zhong Daogong asked first.
“The rewards have been plentiful. My master will surely grant me a reward when I return. And rest assured, I will do my best to investigate the matter of that thief for you,” Li Fan assured them.
“Haha, then we thank you in advance, Fellow Daoist.”
After the pleasantries, Zhong Daogong changed the subject. “You have proven your credibility to the Immortal Boat, Fellow Daoist. After a unanimous decision by the elders, we believe a deeper collaboration may be possible between us.”
Li Fan’s interest was piqued. “Do you have more True Immortal Scripts you haven’t shown me?”
Zhong Daogong waved his hand. “Not a True Immortal Script. But something far more important.”
The scenery of the surrounding pavilion suddenly changed, as if they had been transported to the Darkest Star Sea in an instant.
As Zhong Daogong gestured, the light and shadows around them shifted rapidly, passing through the endless Sea of Relics and the boundless Remnant Realm Great Wall.
They arrived at a place of nothingness.
“This place is...” Li Fan was momentarily stunned.
“The High Wall. At the foot of the High Wall,” Zhong Daogong said, his expression complex and his tone grave.
“Oh?”
Li Fan scanned his surroundings before speaking. “I have also been to the foot of the High Wall, at the very edge of the Darkest Sea. The path forward was cut off, but I saw no physical wall...”
“Why are you showing me a scene of the High Wall?”
Zhong Daogong’s gaze was profound. “The High Wall stretches on, enclosing the entire Star Sea. However, the section of the wall that we are showing you now is different from the rest.”
“Different? How could one part of the same High Wall be any different?” Li Fan’s expression shifted.
It was Jian Daosheng who answered him. “This area is, you could say, the weakest point of the entire High Wall. If there is any place in the Star Sea from which one could cross it, this spot offers the greatest chance!”
“In your homeland, Fellow Daoist, there must be many cultivators who wish to escape this Darkest Star Sea rather than be trapped here for eternity, correct? If we were to cooperate, success might not be beyond our reach,” Zhong Daogong said slowly.
“The weakest point of the High Wall...” Li Fan stared at the scene before him, repeating the words several times under his breath.
He didn’t give a direct answer, instead asking, “And how did you determine this? The very existence of the High Wall is beyond current comprehension. It is formless, shapeless, and invisible. How could you possibly identify its most vulnerable point?”
Zhong Daogong smiled faintly. “This matter concerns the Immortal Boat’s greatest secret. Until we have confirmed our partnership, please forgive us for not being able to disclose it.”
“But rest assured, Fellow Daoist, this is absolutely true. You may report this matter, and when your people come, the Immortal Boat can provide a preliminary verification for you.”
Li Fan’s expression was grave. After a long moment of thought, he cupped his hands and said, “This matter is indeed of great importance, far beyond my authority to decide. I will certainly report this to my elders upon my return. In any case, I will be sure to give you an answer.”
“Then we shall await your good news, Fellow Daoist!”
Watched by the elders, Li Fan’s escaping light departed from the Immortal Boat and vanished into the vast Star Sea.
“A risky move. If this gets out...”
“What’s there to fear? Is someone in this Star Sea going to come knocking, demanding we share the location of the weak point? If you ask me, that would be for the best. We’re all just fish in a boiling pot; it’s high time we joined forces!”
“Indeed. This Great Qi civilization is our equal, if not our superior. After all, they survived the Great Calamity and occupy an entire cultivation world. They are a suitable partner.”
“And that world-protecting immortal artifact...”
The elders discussed amongst themselves.
Meanwhile, Li Fan, on his way back to the Wooden Sword’s projection, was contemplating the information the Immortal Boat had just revealed.
Although they hadn’t said it outright, based on the key intelligence he had gathered while undercover in his previous life, it wasn’t hard to deduce why they knew the location of the High Wall’s weakest point.
“In my last life, Zhong Daogong mentioned that the original Xuan Shang Immortal Boat split apart because a faction within decided to ram the High Wall in an attempt to escape the Star Sea.”
“And in the end, they succeeded.”
“This weak point is likely the very spot where the Shang Immortal Boat struck the wall back then. The Xuan Immortal Boat must be able to pinpoint the location due to the connection between the two halves...”
If the Immortal Boat members hadn’t revealed this, Li Fan would have activated the hidden mechanism in the Hundred News Record as he left, plundering all the treasures within.
But now that the Immortal Boat still had secrets to uncover, he might as well wait a little longer.
“The Immortal Boat has always been obsessed with collecting True Immortal Scripts. Besides the power of the scripts themselves, perhaps their plan to escape the Star Sea is another reason.”
“Ramming the High Wall...”
“I wonder how the Shang Immortal Boat managed to do it back then,” Li Fan mused.
Inside the Wooden Sword’s projection, Yin Shangren was resting.
The others, however, were still traversing the Remnant Realm Great Wall, searching for suitable world fragments to use as catalysts for the Xuanhuang Realm.
After replenishing their supply of Clear Void Flowing Crystal, Li Fan didn’t go looking for the Immortal Boat members.
Instead, he used the A Thousand Miles in a Moment Array to first return to the Xuanhuang Realm.
The small world of the Great Xuan.
Li Fan’s figure flickered, appearing beside the sleeping Ou Shangtian.
Sensing the Qiankun Bone Hand still developing within him, Li Fan used his hand as a brush and wrote the character for ‘Ancient’.
He focused his divine sense, observing the changes inside Ou Shangtian’s body.
His understanding of the ‘Ancient’ character was still in its nascent stages, and he hadn’t infused much spiritual energy into it, so the character’s power was extremely faint.
It was just enough to envelop Ou Shangtian’s body.
(End of Chapter)
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